Manikin ball-player.



G. B. STONE.

MANIKIN BALL PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.9,1912.

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uniTnn STATES PATENT oTTioE.

GRANVILLE B. STONE, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MANIKIN' BALL-PLAYER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

Application filed February 9, 1912. Serial No. 676,603.

late the actions of a ball player, whereby the device may be used for such games as parlor base ball, or for other purposes which will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains.

The invention has for its primary object a simple, durable and efficient construction of manikin ball player, the parts of which may be cheaply manufactured and readily assembled and which may be actuated at any required or reasonable distance.

The invention also has for its object an improved construction of manikin ball. player provided with a removable cup or basket which may be easily applied to the bat carried by the arms of the manikin, whereby a ball may be thrown by the device, and which may be easily removed, whenever desired, when for instance it is desired to have the manikin simulate the actions of a batter, instead of a ball tosser or thrower. And the invention also aims to generally improve this class of devices and to render them more useful and commercially desirable.

With these and other objects in view, as

will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements and combinations of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following deseription and accompanying drawing in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a manikin ball player constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the arms of the manikin, and, Fig. 4L is a fragmentary perspective view of a bar employed.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the accompanying drawing by like reference characters. I

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a base plate which may be of any desired size or design, according to the particular requirements of the case, or as judgment or taste may dictate, and which is provided with openings 2 therein for the reception of screws 3 or similar fastening devices, whereby to secure the base plate to a pair of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced strips 4. A cross bar or brace, 5 is secured upon the strips 4 at one end thereof by screws 4 or the like, whereby to securely brace the supporting stand of the device.

A manikin 6 of conventional base ball player design is mounted on the plate 1 and is formed at I about the shoulder portion thereof with a transverse opening 7 eXtending therethrough. A pivot bolt 8 is mounted in the opening 7 and is arranged to have secured to its ends,the rightvand left arms designated 9 and 13, respectively. The arm 9 is formed in the rear of its pivot with a lug 10 and is provided at itsopposite end end of a contractile spring 14 is secured,

the other end of said spring being secured to the side of the manikin 6 by a screw 14 or similar fastening device. p

The left end arm 13 is preferably of sheet metal, whereby it may be easily bent to the required shape, one end of said arm being curled around and thus secured to the bar 12 between the enlarged socket portion 12 of said bar and the shouldered extremity 12 from which the hook 15 projects. By this means, the arm 13 is securely attached to the bar 12. The opposite end of the arm 13 is apertured, whereby to fit upon the pivot bolt 8 which, as has been hereinbefore set forth, is mounted in the transverse opening 7 of the manikin.

In order to limit the forward movement of the bar 12 to apredetermined point, by the forwardly and downwardly swinging movements of the arms 9 and 13 and by the action of the contractile spring 14, I provide a stop 17 designed to engage the arm 9 when p Y erates.

the parts 9, 13 and 12 are in the position illustrated in Fig. 1.

A catch 16 is pivotally secured to the rear of the figure or manikin 6, said catch being designed to engage the lug 10 of the arm 9, so as to hold the armsand the bar 12 in may be 1n the form of a rubber band as well i as a metallic coiled spring and that various their relative rearward position with the spring 14 under tension, and in order to release the catch 16 from the lug 10 so as to permit the spring 14 to act, a cable, cord, or the like, as designated at 18, is secured at one end: to the catch 16, is passed through an eye 18 secured to the base 1 and is extended to any desired length and connected to a handle 19 of any desired form of construction.

It is, ofcourse, desirable to limit the rearward or upward movement of the parts so as to avoid excessive strain or tension being imposed upon the spring14, and it will be noted that this action is successfully performed by the angular disposition of the relatively free end of the arm 1.3, as best indicated at 13 in: Fig. 2.

From as much of the description as has preceded in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be understood that the manikin may be easily set for operation by swinging the arms 9 and 13 upwardly so as to permit the catch 16 to engage the lug 10 of the arm 9'. The spring 14 will thus be placed under tension. It is then only neces sa-ry to pull upon the cord 18, whereupon the catch 16 will be released from the lug 10 of the arm 9 and the spring 14 will be permitted to act to swing the arms 9 and 13 forwardly and downwardly and carry the bar 12 forwardly. This bar 12 is designed to per-form two functions. It is not only intended for use as a bat to simulate the ordinary base ball bat in the hands of a player, but is also intended for use in throwing the ball. To arrange the bar 12 for this last named purpose, 1 provide it with a cup or basket 20 which is adapted to be slipped over and be frictionally held upon the free end of thebar or bat so that a pellet or the like received in the basket or cup will be ejected therefrom and the act ofthrowing the ball simulated when the manikin op- When the ball is to be batted by the manikin and not thrown, the cup or basket 20 is removed from the bar or bat 12.

Inusing' the device to bat the ball, the manikin is removed from its supporting stand and placed on its side, and the pellet or thelike which serves as the ball, is struck :by the finger so as to cause it to slide over the surface upon which the manikin is laid. One hand of the player is used for thus causingthe ball toslide over the said surface toward the uplifted bat or bar 12, it being understood that the spring will be arranged in said position during'this operation, and theother hand of' the operator grasps the handle 19, so that as the ball or pellet comes close to the point where the relatively uplifted bat is located, the cabler or cord 18 is pulled andthe device actuated to strike the ball.

It is to be understood-that the spring 14 other changes may be made in the construction, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

It will be seen that I have provided a very simple and efli'cient game device, the operation of which will imitate, to a c0nsiderable degree, the attitude of a ball player and his motions, even in batting the ball which is thrown to him or throwing the ball to some player, and that, therefore, the device will be found useful and interesting in playing the game of table base ball, or for other general amusement purposes.

What I claim is 1. A device of the character described,.in; cluding a supporting stand, a manikin sup ported thereon, said manikin being provided with pivoted arms, a bar connected to said arms, a contractile spring operatively connected to said bar and to a stationary portion of the device, one of said arms being formed in the rear of its pivot with a lug, a catch adapted to engage said lug, and means operable at a distance for disengaging the catch from the lug.

2. A device of the character described, including a stand, a manikin supported thereon and provided with pivoted arms, a bar formed intermediate of its ends with a socket, one of said arms being provided with an extremity adapted to fit in said socket and the other arm being curled around the bar below the socket, the bar bein formed at its lower extremity with a hoo a con cluding a manikin provided with pivoted arms, a support for the manikin, a bar connected to said arms, one of the arms extending across the front of the manikin for the purpose specified, a contractile spring connected to said bar and to a stationary por tion of the device, one of the arms being formed in the rear of the pivot with a lug, a catch mounted on the rear of themanikin and adapted to-engage said lug, and means operable at a distance for disengaging the catch from the lug.

4. A gamedevice of the character described, including a manikin, a support therefor, the 'manikin being provided with pivoted arms, a stop secured to the side of the manikin and adapted to engage one of said arms to limit its movement in one direction, a bar connected to the free ends of said arms, a contractile spring connected to saidbar and to a stationary portion of the device, one of said arms being provided in the rear of its pivot with a lug, a catch adapted to engage said lug, and means 0perable at a distance for disengaging the catch from the lug.

5. A game device of the character described, including a manikin provided with pivoted arms, a bar connected to said arms, a contractile spring arranged to swing said arms in one direction, one of said arms being formed in the rear of its pivot with a lug, a catch adapted to engage said lug, and

means operable at a distance for disengaging the catch from the lug.

6. A device of the character described, including a manikin provided with pivoted arms, a bar connected to said arms, a detachable cup mounted upon said bar, a spring arranged to swing said arms in one direction, one of said arms being formed in the rear of its pivot with a lug, a catch adapted to engage said lug to hold the arms with the spring under tension, and means operable at a distance for disengaging the catch from the lug.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GRANVILLE B. STONE. [L.S.]

Witnesses:

HARRY LAZORIAN, NEANDER L. HAWKE.

Copies of this oatent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

